Residents opposing the redevelopment of student accommodation staged a protest after The University of Reading refused public access to the site.

Locals gathered at the main entrance of Sibly Hall in Redhatch Drive on Sunday afternoon following a “hostile” letter from the university informing residents public access would be denied from last Friday for one week.

Sibly Park Road resident Penny Smillie said: “The tone of the letter was really unpleasant and it has angered a lot of people.”

Those living along the perimeter of the 11-acre site received hand-delivered letters from Nigel Frankland, head of estate and management at the university, on Wednesday.

Neighbour Rita Steele added: “We are appalled at the university’s behaviour. They have hand-delivered a hostile letter which has really put people’s backs up.

“They have padlocked gates, brought in security guards and erected steel barriers to keep us off land we have used peacefully for years.”

She added: “It would seem they don’t care for the environment or the community, and their heavy-handed tactics in trying to bulldoze this development show them to be no better than any other unscrupulous property developer.”

For more than 20 years locals have had access to the site – a popular spot for dog walking.

Dog owner Jacqui Castle, also from Sibly Park Road, said: “I have been walking my dog there twice a day for the last 10 years. The university has never had any problems as long as we clean up after our dog and respect the property we walk on.

“I’m very disappointed, it just seems a contradiction. They have caused absolute chaos.”

Mike McNamara lives in nearby Beaconsfield Way but came out to support the protest.

“We are not directly affected by it but it’s a shame to lose green open space,” he said.

Outline plans include demolishing the current 10-storey tower block that has served as student accommodation since 1967.

Instead a total of 99 apartments, and one, two, three, four and five bedroom homes will be built, including the refurbishment of two current properties at the site entrance.

A key part of the plans included safeguarding adjoining ancient woodland Redhatch Copse.

University spokesman Alex Brannen said: “Sibly Hall is private land owned by The University of Reading. The University restricts access to all its land from time to time in order to prevent access rights being claimed.

“In the case of Sibly Hall we wrote to all residents whose property borders the site to let them know security personnel would be on duty from Friday, September 10 to 17, to supervise the closure.

“This is part of the university’s commitment to keeping local residents informed with regard to all our plans for the Sibly Hall site. The university is not using the week to carry out work on the site.”

Mr Brannen added: “When a group of local residents approached the main entrance to the site on Sunday security staff on duty politely reminded them the site was private property and that access to the site was currently restricted to authorised personnel only.